1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flying amusement toys. More particularly, it concerns a flying toy capable of producing a stream of bubbles during free flight.
2. The Background Art
Rotational frisbee discs are well known in the field of flying toy devices, and are typically made of a single molded plastic disc. There are many other types of flying toys, a large number of which are capable of rotational flight. The prevalence of frisbees and other flying toys is readily apparent to anyone familiar with recreational sites such as parks and beaches. The rotational types of flying toys are launched into free flight by gripping and throwing the toy using an underhanded or sidearm motion with a snap of the wrist. The toy spins into rotational flight, and the direction, length and trajectory of the flight can be varied by the angle of release of the disc relative to the horizontal plane and by the force of the throwing motion.
Attempts have been made to provide rotational flying toys with soap solution and bubble-forming apparatus to cause the toy to produce bubbles during free flight. U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,842 (issued to Bryman on Aug. 24, 1971) illustrates an airfoil glider toy having a bubble ring coaxially disposed in the center thereof. A user dips the bubble ring into a saponaceous solution and launches the toy into free flight. As the toy progresses in flight, the saponaceous solution is released from the bubble ring in the form of a stream of bubbles.
A dip method of supplying bubble solution to a flying, bubble-producing toy is also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,042 (issued to Stein on Aug. 20, 1991). Therein is described a planar, skeletal open framework, including several bubble-forming apertures. A user dips the apertures in a soapy solution and launches the toy into free flight to cause the toy to produce bubbles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,632 (issued to Everett on Jun. 12, 1979) illustrates a flying disc toy having self-contained storage capacity for storing bubble solution. A concave lower surface of a flying disc includes a downwardly-arching hollow tube disposed thereon, the tube including a filler hole and terminating at a lower end in a dispersing screen. A user fills the tube with bubble fluid and launches the toy into flight. During the flight, the soap solution drains out of the hollow tube and onto the dispersing screen. Air currents passing through the dispersing screen force the bubble fluid out of the screen in the form of bubbles.
A flying toy with a bubble solution storage unit is also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,284 (issued to Rogahn on Jan. 22, 1980). An open, hollow circular projection extends from a top surface of a flying disc toy wherein bubble solution is stored. A round, inverted cup member is placed over the circular projection and is slidably engaged therewith. Aerodynamic blades extend radially outward from the rotational cup member and operate to catch the air after the toy is launched into free flight. The blades thereby cause the cup member to lift and separate from the toy, allowing the bubble solution to flow out of the open top of the circular projection and spread over an upper surface of the toy. Bubbles are formed when the solution reaches bubble-producing apertures formed in the toy.
The collective approaches in the prior art field of bubble-producing flying toys have a number of disadvantages. The flying toys which receive bubble solution by dipping have negligible storage capacity. Bubble solution must be repeatably and often supplied in order to maintain bubble-producing capacity for a plurality of flights, causing inconvenience to the user. The lack of storage capacity also results in fewer bubbles during flight, and the small amount of bubble solution retained can become entirely exhausted during a long flight.
Some of the flying toys which actually provide storage for bubble solution are limited to extremely small storage structure, as in the storage tube of the U.S. Pat. No. '632 patent to Everett. The flying toys which provide a larger amount of storage require complex and expensive structure, as in the U.S. Pat. No. '284 patent to Rogahn. Further, the Rogahn toy fails to provide for a slow release of bubble solution--the solution is thrown quickly by centrifugal force from a large opening and spreads across the top surface of the toy. The solution is thereby released much quicker than necessary to make bubbles, and causes a sticky film of bubble solution to collect over the top surface of the toy which sticks to the hands of the user during use. The user must either tolerate this inconvenience or wash his or her hands between throws of the toy.
It is also difficult to retain the bubble solution in prior art storage structures. The bubble solution will drain out if the toy lands upside down (U.S. Pat. No. '284 patent to Rogahn), or if the toy is not thrown shortly after inserting bubble solution therein (U.S. Pat. No. '632 patent to Everett).